EU, Antitrust / Competition & State Aid

Competition and antitrust laws around the world are evolving rapidly. Authorities are increasingly using a wide range of powers to investigate mergers, markets, cartels and other behaviors. The commercial landscape has been shifted by enhanced digitization and the use of integrated platforms and B2B services. Thus, the range of business practices spawning antitrust enforcement is likewise expanding and fines for antitrust infringements are on the rise.

Our leading Competition Law practitioners have extensive experience and have handled a wide spectrum of cases spanning on all practice areas of Antitrust Law. Our Competition Law team gets to grips quickly with the market dynamics lying at the heart of the Antitrust issue providing strategic advice to ensure the best possible outcome. Our department is acclaimed for its commercially oriented solutions, by developing optimal synergies with the other practices (Corporate & Commercial Law, Tax, Banking & Finance, TMT, Energy etc.) of Koutalidis Law Firm, in order to help our clients navigate this constantly evolving landscape. 

Our Competition and Antitrust practice is involved in transactions from their very early stages and analyses, anticipates and deals with all possible Competition Law risks for the clients of our Firm. We use our extensive knowledge of Competition Law and enforcement to help get the deal done, resolve a dispute or solve a business challenge.

Moreover, we have a close and well appreciated cooperation with the competent authorities domestically and at EU level.

We also litigate cases, where necessary, assisted by our partners in the Administrative & Environmental Law practice or Civil Litigation department of our Arbitration, Litigation & Mediation practice.  We are often referred cases from international firms being part of their national council panel for Competition Law cases.

Services

Our team is equipped with the experience and expertise to provide a wide spectrum of EU, Antitrust / Competition & State Aid services.

Antitrust

• cartel investigations – dawn raids – leniency/settlement programmes
• compliance – exchange of information – clean teams
• horizontal agreements – cooperative joint ventures and alliances
• vertical agreements – distribution systems and agency – franchising – technology transfer
• abuse of dominance – pricing and non-pricing abuses – interface with IP rights – interface with exclusive rights
• sector specific competition rules (e.g. Electronic Communications, Electricity and Gas, Transport, Broadcasting) – ex ante regulation
• sector inquiries – public consultations

Merger Control

• merger filings – full function JVs – multijurisdictional filings
• substantive analysis with – where necessary – collaboration with economists
• third interested parties – merger opposition – market surveys
• advise on integration planning

State Aid rules

• individual aid and aid schemes – notifications – complaints
• interface with privatisation and public procurement matters
• implementation of recovery orders

Litigating Competition Law cases (before Greek and EU courts):

• actions for annulment against Hellenic Competition Commission’s decisions before the Administrative Court of Appeal of Athens or before the Supreme Administrative Court – defenses
• actions for annulment against European Commission decisions before the General Court of EU
• referrals to the Court of Justice of the EU for preliminary rulings
• actions for damages (or respective defence) before Greek civil Courts for violations of antitrust rules
• actions for damages before Greek administrative courts (illegal state aid cases)

Katia Protopapa
Partner
    +30 210 360 7811
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    kprotopapa@koutalidis.gr






Alexandra Mikroulea
Counsel
    +30 210 360 7811
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    amikroulea@koutalidis.gr